[justanotherfreeper]

And how do we ensure an investigation is done? The motivation for politicians (and that is what state legislators are) to investigate voter fraud after an election is nil. If I remember right I have even seen surveys posted here on FR showing voters in South Dakota are convinced there wasn't any voter fraud, while voters outside the state are convinced there was (can you say "denial", boys and girls?)

The kind of thorough voter fraud investigation necessary is expensive (going house to house, even if it's every 30th person, is VERY expensive), time consuming, really annoys non-fraudulent voters, won't be done by law enforcement and has no shorterm upside. Any suggestions on what FReepers and other grassroots types can do to make sure this investigation happens? Vacant Lott and Raciot aren't known for being farsighted strategic visionaries or having normal testosterone levels.

[Congressman Billybob]

Beginning with the Governor, most of the state officials in South Dakota are Republicans. They do have a slightly greater incentive to run an investigation, and they have the authority to encourage it. This is a state matter, not a federal one (the civil investigation, not the Red Earth crimes).

The best way to encourage this is an old-fashioned FReep of the administration of S.D., and the press of S.D., with maybe Fox News and the Wall Street Journal thrown in. The process would work just as well in getting facts if it were done by media as by the state -- as I point out in the article.

And the FReep of the state officials should point out the gross embarrassment if the media do it TO them, rather than their doing FOR their own citizens. (Democrats, in reality would have to be dragged along, kicking and screaming. But that's okay. They're in the minority in S.D.)

The GOP nationally might encourage this result, but it should not have a visible, up-front role.

Does that make sense?

Billybob